Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S703 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 662 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 703
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	John J. Cronin
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act improving access to community behavioral health centers.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :John J. CroninWorcester and MiddlesexJason M. LewisFifth Middlesex2/12/2025Michael O. MooreSecond Worcester2/27/2025John F. KeenanNorfolk and Plymouth2/27/2025Michael D. BradySecond Plymouth and Norfolk2/27/2025Nick CollinsFirst Suffolk3/5/2025 1 of 5
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 662 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 703
18	18	By Mr. Cronin, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 703) of John J. Cronin, Jason M.
19	19	Lewis, Michael O. Moore, John F. Keenan and other members of the Senate for legislation
20	20	relative to community behavioral health centers. Financial Services.
21	21	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
22	22	SEE SENATE, NO. 613 OF 2023-2024.]
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
26	26	(2025-2026)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act improving access to community behavioral health centers.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 32A of the general laws, as appearing in the 2022 official edition,
32	32	2is hereby amended by inserting after section 30 the following new section:-
33	33	3 Section 31. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall have the
34	34	4following meanings:
35	35	5 “Behavioral health bundled services”, services delivered by a community behavioral
36	36	6health center as specified in 101 CMR 305.00 for the evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, care
37	37	7coordination, management, or peer support of patients with mental health, developmental or
38	38	8substance use disorder, provided that services are reimbursed through a flat rate per encounter. 2 of 5
39	39	9 “Community Behavioral Health Centers”, a clinic licensed by the department of public
40	40	10health and regulated pursuant to 130 CMR 448.00.
41	41	11 (b) Any health plan offered by the commission shall provide to an active or retired
42	42	12employee of the commonwealth who is insured under the group insurance commission benefits
43	43	13on a nondiscriminatory basis for medically necessary behavioral health bundled services
44	44	14delivered through community behavioral health centers.
45	45	15 SECTION 2. Chapter 175 of the general laws, as appearing in the 2022 official edition, is
46	46	16hereby amended by inserting after section 47PP the following new section:-
47	47	17 Section 47QQ. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall have the
48	48	18following meanings:
49	49	19 “Behavioral health bundled services”, services delivered by a community behavioral
50	50	20health center as specified in 101 CMR 305.00 for the evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, care
51	51	21coordination, management, or peer support of patients with mental health, developmental or
52	52	22substance use disorder, provided that services are reimbursed through a flat rate per encounter.
53	53	23 “Community Behavioral Health Centers”, a clinic licensed by the department of public
54	54	24health and regulated pursuant to 130 CMR 448.00.
55	55	25 (b) Any individual policy of accident and sickness insurance issued pursuant to section
56	56	26108, which provides hospital expense and surgical expense insurance, and a group blanket or
57	57	27general policy of accident and sickness insurance issued pursuant to section 110, which provides
58	58	28hospital expense and surgical expense insurance, which is issued or renewed within or without 3 of 5
59	59	29the commonwealth, shall provide benefits on a nondiscriminatory basis for medically necessary
60	60	30behavioral health bundled services delivered through community behavioral health centers.
61	61	31 SECTION 3. Chapter 176A of the general laws, as appearing in the 2022 official edition,
62	62	32is hereby amended by inserting after section 38 the following new section:-
63	63	33 Section 39. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall have the
64	64	34following meanings:
65	65	35 “Behavioral health bundled services”, services delivered by a community behavioral
66	66	36health center as specified in title 101 CMR 305.00 for the evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, care
67	67	37coordination, management, or peer support of patients with mental health, developmental or
68	68	38substance use disorder, provided that services are reimbursed through a flat rate per encounter.
69	69	39 “Community Behavioral Health Centers”, a clinic licensed by the department of public
70	70	40health and regulated pursuant to 130 CMR 448.00.
71	71	41 (b) Any contract between a subscriber and the corporation under an individual or group
72	72	42hospital service plan which is issued or renewed within or without the commonwealth shall
73	73	43provide benefits on a nondiscriminatory basis for medically necessary behavioral health bundled
74	74	44services delivered through community behavioral health centers.
75	75	45 SECTION 4. Chapter 176B of the general laws, as appearing in the 2022 official edition,
76	76	46is hereby amended by inserting after section 25 the following new section:-
77	77	47 Section 26. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall have the
78	78	48following meanings: 4 of 5
79	79	49 “Behavioral health bundled services”, services delivered by a community behavioral
80	80	50health center as specified in title 101 CMR 305.00 for the evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, care
81	81	51coordination, management, or peer support of patients with mental health, developmental or
82	82	52substance use disorder, provided that services are reimbursed through a flat rate per encounter.
83	83	53 “Community Behavioral Health Centers”, a clinic licensed by the department of public
84	84	54health and regulated pursuant to 130 CMR 448.00.
85	85	55 (b) Any subscription certificate under an individual or group medical service agreement
86	86	56which is issued or renewed within or without the commonwealth shall provide benefits on a
87	87	57nondiscriminatory basis for medically necessary behavioral health bundled services delivered
88	88	58through community behavioral health centers.
89	89	59 SECTION 5. Chapter 176G of the general laws, as appearing in the 2022 official edition,
90	90	60is hereby amended by inserting after section 33 the following new section:-
91	91	61 Section 34. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall have the
92	92	62following meanings:
93	93	63 “Behavioral health bundled services”, services delivered by a community behavioral
94	94	64health center as specified in 101 CMR 305.00 for the evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, care
95	95	65coordination, management, or peer support of patients with mental health, developmental or
96	96	66substance use disorder, provided that services are reimbursed through a flat rate per encounter.
97	97	67 “Community Behavioral Health Centers”, a clinic licensed by the department of public
98	98	68health and regulated pursuant to title 130 CMR 448.00. 5 of 5
99	99	69 (b) Any health maintenance contract issued or renewed within or without the
100	100	70commonwealth shall provide benefits on a nondiscriminatory basis for medically necessary
101	101	71behavioral health bundled services delivered through community behavioral health centers.